It’s heartbreaking.
Ludo has his back resting against the side wall, a little girl asleep in his lap.
I don’t stop the Lumina flow. I let it bleed out of me in soft, rhythmic pulses. Slowly, the tallest boy crawls toward me. He doesn't say anything, just leans his body against mine. “You’re going to be alright,” I tell him.
The boy looks at me, then nods.
Something in me recognizes this boy as a leader. He reminds me of Alexis. “Can you help me with the other kids?” I ask. “They’ll trust you.”
He clears his throat a couple of times. “Yes. They’re scared.”
“I know, honey.” I pull him closer. “What’s your name?”
“M-Mika.”
“Welcome to the team, Mika. You’re very brave.”
He looks down, shamefaced. “No,” he whispers.
“Yes. Totally. You’re stepping up, and I know I can rely on you. Thank you for that.”
His back straightens, and his gaze moves around the van of broken children. Shuffling forward, he tucks a blanket around one of the little children. “I can do this.”
Tears prick in my eyes.
What a strong kid.
—How long to go, Max?—
—Ten minutes—
Finding the right place to meet had been a challenge. But finally Alexis had decided on a small gas station on a back road, which was open, unmanned, 24/7.
—Hey, Tee. Me and Wills are already there. We are parked at the back in the dark—
—Good to know. Thanks—
—The security cameras are focused on the pumps, not the parking lot. I’ll take them out now—
A few minutes later, the van comes to a smooth halt.
As Max rolls open the back door, the freezing air rushes in. The sky is already getting dark again.
I gently move the boy next to me, then pick my way through the sleeping bodies to get out.
The Range Rover is parked next to a dumpster, its lights off.
Donovan comes around the corner, holding a spray can and grinning. “Old school sabotage, no magic to lead back to us.”
My legs are shaking as I walk across the dirt and fling my arms around him. He immediately picks me up. I wrap my arms around his neck. “I wish Alexis and Cosmo were here already.”
“They won’t be long,” Donovan says. “Just breathe, Tee.”
“Yeah, I’ll keep breathing.”
Over his shoulder, I meet eyes with Willow. She is sitting in the back of the rover, holding the eleven-year-old girl in her arms.
I wriggle down and hustle over.
